Olympic Games 2008

Buenos Aires braced for anti-China protests

Article published on the 2008-04-11 Latest update 2008-04-17 15:00 TU

Ban Ki-Moon will not attend the Olympic Games opening ceremony
(Photo : Reuters)

The Olympic flame is now in Buenos Aires and Argentine authorities are preparing for anti-China. Several thousand police and other guards are to patrol the planned 13-kilometer route. Activists critical of China's policy in Tibet have promised "surprise protests" but insist that they will be peaceful. And in other news, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has said he will not attend the games opening ceremony in Beijing in August.

The security operation began as soon as the flame arrived at Buenos Aires international airport. It was whisked away on a bus under heavy police escort.

The flame is being relayed around the world through 20 countries before it arrives in Beijing for the opening ceremony.

Its progress has been beset by protests on the London, Paris and San Francisco legs of its tour.

The International Olympic Committee is set to meet Friday to decide whether to end the relay tradition.

Groups critical of China's human rights record have been trying to put pressure on Beijing as it prepares to host the Olympics for the first time. After its run through Buenos Aires, the torch will be flown to Tanzania.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General said that Ban's absence was not a boycott of the games, claiming but a result of a scheduling problem.